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Insulation
Insulation is like a internal blanket for you home that keeps your home warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. It also helps protect your home from air leaks and control moisture. One of the fastest and most cost effective ways to improve your home's energy efficienty and increase comfort is to properly insulate. There should be insulation in your attic, ceiling, walls, floors and crawls spaces.
The energy efficiency of insulation is measured in R-values, and the higher the R-value the better your walls and roof resist the transfer of heat in or out of your home. Each region has a recommended R-value depending on the local climate conditions. In general for the Utah Region, the following R-values are recommended, but more is even better:
The energy efficiency of insulation is measured in R-values, and the higher the R-value the better your walls and roof resist the transfer of heat in or out of your home. Each region has a recommended R-value depending on the local climate conditions. In general for the Utah Region, the following R-values are recommended, but more is even better:
- Walls to R-23
- Floors to R-30
- Attics to R-49
There are many available options for environmentally friendly insulation that not only provide high R-values and are also non-toxic, meaning they are safe for people and pets. Most of the greener insulation options out there have very high R-values so are incredibly energy efficient. Here are the main types of eco-friendly insulation.
- Spray Foam Insulation - Spray foam insulation is a great option for existing homes as well as new construction, because when it is sprayed it expands into all the nooks forming an effective insulation barrier. Spray foam from bio-based products have no VOCs, formaldehydes, asbestos, ozone depletors or other toxic chemicals. These foams also have the benefit of detering bacterial growth reduces issues with moisture. Avoid polyurethane based spray foams because they contain HCFCs, which deplete ozone. Open-cell Isocyanurate (Icynene™), Magnesium Silicate (Air Krete®), or BioBased Spray Foam are all good options, with R-values around 3-5 per inch.
- Rigid Foam Insulation - The rigid foam boards which are typical in conventional construction are not the most environmentally friendly options, but are very good insulators that can get R-values from 4-7 per inch. This high R-value is a very attractive option compared to the petroleum products used to manufacture the rigid foam. Look for EPS (extruded polystyrene) that is less harmful and can be more readily recycled.
- Cellulose Insulation - Sometimes called recycled newspaper insulation, is a loose insulation made from recycled content from newspapers, corncobs, or even straw for an R-value of 3 per inch. Boric acid is added flame retardant as well as an insect and rodent retardant. GreenFiber is the most well known brand and can be blown in wet or dry.
- Denim Insulation - Made from post-industrial denim and post-consumer blue jeans, this insulation is made out of 85% post-industrial cotton fiber and is treated with a natural fire retardant. There are no VOC problems with this insulation and you can recycle it. This type of insulation is a batt insulation and comes in rolls with an R-value of 3.7 per inch. You can even send in your old blue jeans to be recycled into insulation.
- Straw - Straw insulation has the capacity to decrease heating costs by seventy-five percent. Straw is typically used in new construction of straw bale houses. Straw-bale insulation is fire resistant, provides good air quality and reduces noise pollution and provides R-values of 2.38 per inch and typical wall thicknesses are about 23 inches.
- Wool - Sheep wool has been used as an insulation for a very long time, but is not terribly common in the US and it is usually more expensive. Sheep wool is non-toxic and natural with an R-value of about 2.5 per inch, but may require flame retardants or insect and pest repellants.